PARKINSON'S AWARENESS

That this House welcomes Parkinson's Awareness Week 2007 between 16th and 22nd April focusing on newly diagnosed issues; supports the launch of the Parkinson's Disease Society's DVD Being There, which aims to answer the questions and concerns of the approximately 10,000 people in the UK newly diagnosed with Parkinson's each year; further welcomes the recommendations on diagnosis made in the 2006 National Institute for Clinical Health and Excellence Guideline for Parkinson's disease, including that people with suspected Parkinson's should be referred promptly to a specialist such as a neurologist or geriatrician for diagnosis; notes with concern the 47 per cent. misdiagnosis rate by general practitioners; requests a reduction in the waiting time for specialist appointments; calls upon the Government further to support implementation of Quality Requirement 2, Early Recognition, Prompt Diagnosis and Treatment, in the National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions; recognises that there is currently no known cure for Parkinson's; and congratulates the Society for investing more than £30 million in research since it was founded in 1969.